1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus and an image capturing method. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus and an image capturing method which is capable of adjusting fast image capturing conditions for an object which is in a new image capturing region in case the image capturing region is varied.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an automatic exposure control function of an image capturing apparatus measures brightness of an image of an object which is in an image capturing region and performs exposure control by adjusting aperture, shutter speed, and the like, on the basis of the measured brightness. Further, an automatic white balance control function of the conventional image capturing apparatus measures chromaticity an object which is in an image capturing region and performs white balance control by adjusting chromaticity of each color on the basis of the measured chromaticity (cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2001-209088).
However, the automatic exposure control function or the white balance control function of the conventional image capturing apparatus measures brightness or chromaticity of an image of an object which is in an image capturing region and performs an exposure control or a white balance control on the basis of the measured brightness or chromaticity. Thus, in case the image capturing region is varied such as case the direction of the image capturing apparatus is quite varied, brightness or chromaticity of an image of an object which is in the image capturing region after the image capturing region is varied and then the exposure control or the white balance control should be performed. Therefore, the exposure control or the white balance control cannot be properly performed just after the image capturing region is varied and thus quality of the image captured just after the image capturing region is varied becomes worse. In other words, because the conventional automatic exposure control function or the automatic white balance control function needs a predetermined time to perform the exposure control or the white balance control for an object which is set in the image capturing region, in case a user changes fast the direction of the image capturing apparatus to capture an image of the object and an image of an object which enters into the image capturing region at high speed is captured, it is impossible to capture an image with proper exposure and white balance following the fast control of exposure and white balance for the object.